Paranorman: DVD Review

Paranorman: DVD Review

Rating: PG
Released by Universal Home Entertainment

He sees dead people - everywhere.

We've been here before, haven't we?

In  this stop motion animated film, Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is an outsider in his home town of Blithe Hollow; a zombie lover, bullied by his classmates and mocked by his family for claims he can see the dead, he's an odd solitary figure in the world.

But one day, Norman finds a friend in fellow bully victim and fat kid, Neil (Tucker Albrizzi). Which is a good thing because shortly after that, Norman's eccentric uncle tells him that he holds the key to saving the day and must perform an annual ritual to stop the dead from rising due to a curse laid down by a witch centuries ago. However, when the ritual doesn't go to plan, Norman has to convince everyone that his zombie obsession is real and that if they don't help him, it could be game over for Blithe Hollow...

Paranorman is a macabre animated treat which makes the best of a slightly lacking story by throwing in some truly undead animation. Purples and vibrant yellows pack out the screen towards the end and give a suitably spooky glow to the proceedings which get a little dark and frightening towards the end.

With hints of The Crucible and a tragic story of sadness, it's certainly enough to stand out from the usual animated fare but also wise enough to throw in a few great sight gags here and there. From the mocking of Norman's zombie obsession to the mafiosa ghost haunting the streets with his feet encased in concrete, this is a film which is reverential and respectful of the genres which have inspired it. Even the heroes of the piece, the jock, the cheerleader, the nerd, the fat kid and the bully are stock stereotypes from the splatter films of yore, but by putting a fresh spin on them,Paranorman doesn't rely on cheap gags and simplistic shocks as the dialled down story plays out. A great sight gag involving a certain hockey mask is cleverly executed as this skewed Grimm fairy tale rolls on.

Paranorman is a little something different for the animated holiday fare - it should have been released nearer Hallowe'en as it has that creepy feel - but at its heart, it's a sad story which just may touch you in ways you hadn't quite been expecting.

Rating:

Flight: DVD Review

Flight: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Entertainment

Director Robert Zemeckis returns to his first live action film since Castaway back in 2000.In this, which saw Denzel Washington nominated for an Oscar, Denzel plays alcoholic and addicted pilot, Captain Whip Whitaker. When we first meet him, he's waking up from a heavy night of booze, drugs and sex with cabin crew member Katerina Marquez (Nadia Velazquez). Due to fly a little later that morning, Whip does a line of cocaine to remain centred before boarding his flight to Atlanta.

However, after some quite rough turbulence on take off, things seem to be going okay. That is until some time into the flight when the plane suddenly begins to nose dive. With equipment failing and his co-pilot beginning to panic, Whip has no choice but to flip the plane upside down and try and land it. But he can't completely save the day and the plane crashes in a field, killing six of the 102 onboard.

When Whip comes around in hospital, he finds an investigation into what went wrong is underway - and he realises, that despite the plane potentially being at fault, his addiction could squarely come into the spotlight and the blame could land on his shoulders....

Flight is an utterly compelling and non-showy portrait of addiction. It's also Denzel's film from beginning to end - with a side of chilling plane crash to put you off flying forever. Washington has everything down pat, from a captain reassuring his passengers that everything will be ok while lacing an orange juice with 2 mini bottles of vodka to a scene in a hotel where a mini bar offers temptation and salvation in equal measures, and defies your expectations, it's a performance which is airborne from the minute it begins and stays at a stellar height all the way through, while carefully negotiating the line of agony for his character and anger at his actions. But it's also the slow burn of the story which grips as it begins to play towards its horrifying and perhaps inevitable conclusion as Whip's web of denial begins to wind around him, choking him with the truth of what will have to happen. Zemeckis uses the time to build up scenes thanks to precision direction and a great leading man and the effect is mesmerisingly good. (The aforementioned mini-bar sequence shows how he's great at taking a scene, extending it out a little and never losing you in the final outcome - although the final sequence reeks of Hollywood cliche and while watchable, feels a little forced given the way the story's gone)

All in all, Flight stands on a towering performance from Washington's portrait of addiction - he's rightly been nominated for an Oscar (after all, Academy loves issues) but it's also a compelling story which avoids outright pity and simply dumps its hero in a situation where he has to take control of his life as it tells a fairly common Hollywood story of detox and life turn-around, but one which is definitely worth boarding.

Extras: Anatomy of a crash scene
Rating:

ZB movie Review - World War Z, This Is The end, and Silver Linings Playbook

ZB movie Review - World War Z, This Is The end, and Silver Linings Playbook

http://newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/player/ondemand/2032290116-darren-bevan--at-the-movies

The World's End Featurette

The World's End Featurette

A brilliant featurette on the World's End here, with interviews from all the players of the Cornetto trilogy.

The World's End hits cinemas July 18th but has its New Zealand premiere in Wellington on Saturday July 13th.

Remember - it's all for The Greater Good.

The Place Beyond The Pines: Movie Review

The Place Beyond The Pines: Movie Review

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Rose Byrne, Ray Liotta,  Dane DeHaan, Emory Cohen
Director: Derek Cianfrance

The Place Beyond the Pines sees Ryan Gosling once again with the director of Blue Valentine, Derek Cianfrance, who helped put him on the map.

Gosling is Luke, a bleach blonde drifter and high-wire motorcycle performer who moves from town to town with a travelling carnival. He shares a connection with former lover Romina (an unglamorous Eva Mendes) but his world is turned upside down when he realises that she's had his son while he's been gone.

With a new family thrust upon him, Luke throws in the adoration of the crowds and the uncertain lifestyle of the carny to try and provide for them. But Romina believes he's unstable and despite Luke's efforts, rejects his push to provide.

Working as a car mechanic, Luke's thrust into the world of crime by his boss (played by Animal Kingdom's Ben Mendelsohn) and takes part in a string of bank robberies. But that puts him on a direct collision course with cop Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper) and sees their lives intertwined in ways they could never imagine as the tale unfolds.

The Place Beyond The Pines is a film whose three rich narrative strands don't get pulled together until the final third - and when the realization comes, it's devastating. Beautifully shot, compellingly acted by all those within, it defies expectations as this generational tale of fathers and sons slowly reveals its hand.

Gosling, with his bleach blonde dyed locks and tortured silences impresses in a turn which hints at the pain but never fully shows it; likewise, Cooper once again builds on the stellar acting work done in The Silver Linings Playbook and an unglamorous Mendes gives an unmissably restrained turn as the mother.

But it's Chronicle star Dane DeHaan who emerges as the real talent of this piece with his fractured and damaged character shouldering way more emotional intensity than his years would suggest as the final act plays out.

Granted, it's a little overlong with its 140 minute running time, but The Place Beyond The Pines has a power and intensity that impresses. It has a haunting quality which endures and is a drama which is weighty, compelling, intriguing and an insightful reminder of the bonds which tie us together long into our years.



Rating:

White Lies: Movie Review

White Lies: Movie Review

Cast: Rachel House, Whirimako Black, Antonia Prebble
Director: Dana Rotberg

Based on the novella "Medicine Woman" by Witi Ihimaera, White Lies is the story of Paraiti (Whirimako Black), a medicine woman in 20th century New Zealand.

Orphaned when her father's murdered by European soldiers, she leads a nomadic life, predominantly healing the sick and teaching of the old ways. One day, when in town, she's approached by Rachel House's Maraea, who needs her to help for her mistress Rebecca Vickers (Antonia Prebble).

Vickers is pregnant and she needs Paraiti to help her get rid of the baby... Initially reluctant, Paraiti ends up helping Vickers. But there's a clash between Paraiti and Maraea over cultures and traditions...

White Lies is a bit of a tough watch thanks to poor pacing.

Despite being beautifully shot, using perfectly captured period detail and settings, the live action is simply not gripping enough unfortunately to involve you as it plays out.

Whilst Black's softly spoken and spiritual Paraiti is a well put together character among the lush verdant greens of the New Zealand scenery, her interaction with Maraea and Vickers leaves a little to be desired. Using minimal soundtrack and music, you'd expect the piece to have more of a hold on you but rather than captivating you as you watch, it simply ends up making you feel like the time is dragging - despite it only being some 90 minutes long.

Prebble's porcelain and haughty Vickers is a difficult creature to warm to, even when a shocking revelation comes to light; and House's Maraea is more angry than shades of grey as the tensions play out within the house. That's the thing too - it feels very much like a theatre play that's not translated well to the big screen. I'm not particularly au fait with Ihimaera's novella, but I'm sensing there may have had to have been some padding out at this point to fill the time - and unfortunately, the film suffers from it.

In all honesty as well, this film is not an emotionally easy watch - there's a real feeling of maudlin melancholia as it unspools which won't really strike a chord with many heading to the cinema hoping for a bit of escapism.

Rating:

Bill Gosden talks the 2013 Film Festival

Bill Gosden talks the 2013 Film Festival

Tonight has seen the launch of the 2013 New Zealand International Film Festival in Auckland, with the programme being unleashed to the masses.
Now, the scheduling of the film smorgasbord begins - and I managed to catch up with Bill Gosden, the festival director to get a look inside this year's fest:

It's the 45th Film Festival - that's quite the achievement; give us a summary of how you feel on this auspicious occasion.

Well, it’s not my 45^th, but I’ve been around long enough to know the thick and the thin of it. I’m amazed that we’ve weathered so many changes, and kept on fronting up every year with something new and lively, because it has never, not even once, felt that it was getting easier. Anyone keeping an arts organisation afloat in this fair land will know what I mean. Fortunately we have had some great allies, best of all an enthusiastic audience.

Every year, it's a veritable feast of film, how do you manage to top it each year?

Topping oneself is probably not a healthy ambition...We’re just trying to identify what’s new and exciting and channel it New Zealand’s way.

How would you describe this year's selection? Are there any over-arching themes? 

Trends that became apparent a year ago are still trending. The idea still holds that there are multifarious clearings in the forest where the multiplex monsters don’t play, so that individuality, even eccentricity can and do occasionally flourish. The increasing concentration of “event” movies in the cinemas has led to a proliferation of smaller scaled productions for varied, smaller scaled platforms. A big, generalist festival such as NZIFF can turn an aggregation of the best examples into an event in its own right.

There is one specific tendency that I have noticed: the ‘everything old is new’syndrome, which is reflected in the retro-futurist look of our own poster, but has also prompted an unusual number of filmmakers in the last year to shoot their films in lustrous black and white. It may look as if they are picking up the abandoned tools of a suddenly obsolete technology, but of course they’re achieving these old effects through entirely new means.

The festival starts with a bang of fabulousness with Behind the Candlebra, a film rumoured to be Soderbergh's last. What made this the opening night film?

You got it, fabulousness.

We've had over 91 short films sent in this year - does that mean the quality's higher than ever and we're in rude health?

No, but the good ones are very good.

It's a veritable extravaganza of live theatre this year - A Buster Keaton, a Goblin and Suspiria and The Crowd. Where do you get the ideas every year for these events and how much of a collaborative process is it?

Ideas are never a problem. It’s the resources that are hard to stack up. We are sharing Goblin tour costs with some Australian shows. The Cameraman stems from our long association with composer Timothy Brock who never scored a film that wasn’t worth watching 100 times over. I may have been the one who nudged Wellington composer Jo Contag towards The Crowd, and I certainly wasn’t surprised when he was excited by the movie. I could not have been happier when he applied, with NZIFF support, to Creative NZ for funds to score it and they said yes.

Plus a couple of great Hitchcock films (after last year's Live Event) and Joss Whedon doing Shakespeare - variety is indeed the spice of life?

 North by Northwest is simply one of the great movies, don’t you think? And it never looked better than it does now. Hitchcock makes inventive use of 3D to define a very constricted space in Dial M. It’s fascinating to watch how he works it. And no Grace Kelly fan will want to miss the chance to see her at her most perfectly porcelain-like. Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing is a treat. Even the low comedy that can seem such heavy lifting in otherwise fleet Shakespeare productions is funny in this one.

There's an extremely strong slate of Independent films this year....talk us through some of the best.

I liked Starlet a lot, and it’s probably the hardest one to talk through. Dree Hemingway plays an independent young woman in Los Angeles who gets caught up in a strange, guilt-laden stand-off with an elderly widow. It’s fresh and constantly surprising. The little truths stirred up by their encounter have really stayed with me months after. Computer Chess, set at an early computer chess tournament, is a hoot, but you need to be prepared for a film that looks like it was shot on home video in 1982, which is very much part of its geek-loving, nostalgic vibe.

As well as some truly unique New Zealand films - what more can you tell us about Romeo and Juliet on a campsite? And the Deadly Ponies gang as well as nature doco Antarctica on Ice. These films have some truly delicious premises...

I thought Romeo and Juliet: A Love Song was great fun, full of marvellous visual invention. Deadly Ponies nails a great pair of rural clowns. Anthony Powell’s Antarctica: A Year on Ice bursts with his love of the place. He invented his own tools and taught himself film-making to make it. He succeeds impressively not only in sharing his wonder at the environment, but also in conveying the special proprietary sense that grows from actually living there.

What's the strangest film on this list in your section - is it a toss up between a Pedro Almodovar mock airplane movie or Upstream Colour?

The Almodovar film came to us late and could only be accommodated into Auckland, but it’s not really especially strange, more a regression to sex farce basics, and nelly gay stereotypes no straight director would dare revive. Upstream Colour is consummately weird and utterly seductive on the big screen.

You've tapped into the zeitgeist of fears over privacy with Terms and Conditions Apply and Wikileaks - is this the year of paranoia / Big Brother do you think?

It’s not paranoia when it turns out they really are watching. Terms and Conditions delves into precisely the issues that prompted Edward Snowden to blow his whistle. Alex Gibney’s Wikileaks film provides a bracingly clear assessment of the issues that need to be discussed when you discuss Julian Assange.

What's your personal pick from the festival fare this year and why?

I’m hanging out for all 21 Cannes titles, vetted for us by our Paris-based programmer Sandra Reid. Here are a few picks from the extensive register of films I have already seen and would hate anyone to overlook:

2 Autumns, 3 Winters. Don’t be put off when I say that the three principal characters often speak to camera.  This tale of two 30something couples is inventive, funny and charmingly self-aware. I was a little reminded of Florian’s Love Story.

The Act of Killing

The Act of Killing. Joshua Oppenheimer’s encounter with veterans of the murder squads who devastated Indonesia in the 60s is startling and utterly revealing.

Dormant Beauty. Superb classical filmmaking applied to an utterly contemporary subject by Italian master Marco Bellochio.

Museum Hours. A lovely low key drama in praise of platonic friendship and great museums.

Stories We Tell. Sarah Polley’s painful family secrets and lies are revealed and inspected with inimitable poise and discretion.

Utu Redux. It’s even better than you remember.

Wadjda. From a country where movies are never shown, at least not in public. This gentle drama proves a sly, surprisingly funny bid for gender equality on behalf of Saudi Arabian schoolgirls (and their mothers).

What's the movie you feel has the propensity to change lives and which do you feel would garner great word of mouth?

To name just one: Gardening with Soul might open a few minds to the wealth of life possible in a convent. Jess Feast’s documentary about a nonagenarian gardening nun is completely winning. There’s an irresistible spark to Sister Loyola, and the camera really catches it.

Is there any chance of securing last minute the Cannes Palme D'Or winner, Blue is the Warmest Colour?

No. The word is that the film was rushed to Cannes in an incomplete state. I think it will be quite some time before the ‘complete’ version is ready to be seen at an art house near you.

The Isaac Theatre Royal

Just as an aside from the festival, there are just days to go with the Isaac Theatre Royal project in Christchurch - how's that going?

There are several other strands to this appeal, but more Boosted donations would definitely be in order at this point. Please donate the price of a ticket to help provide Christchurch with a fitting home for NZIFF.

We have some international guests heading this way as well - can you tell us more?

 I first knew about the director of This Ain’t No Mouse Music! Maureen Gosling from her longstanding association with the films of Les Blank. We showed her Blossoms of Fire about a matriarchal culture in Oaxaca, Mexico a decade ago. The film she made with Chris Simon about roots music producer Chris Strachwitz is a lovely celebration of the music he’s preserved and helped feed into the American mainstream. Sean Baker seemed a great choice as Starlet shows what resonance can be achieved with small resources – assuming, of course, that those small resources are as potent as Starlet’s arresting scenario and two actresses.

What's the perfect NZ Festival day for you?

 Only the movie titles have changed since you asked the same question a year ago. A perfect NZIFF Sunday begins when I look out my window, find an overcast sky and feel assured that it’s a perfect day for indoor pursuits. A wake-me-up documentary, The Human Scale perhaps, is followed by a World Premiere of a new Kiwi film. The filmmaker is delighted by the projection. The audience is delighted by the film. The Q+A is lively.  An exercise break at this point seems unlikely but would pay dividends ahead of the Australasian premiere of one of those Cannes winners I’ve yet to see. Then it might be time to sneak into something of Ant’s for cathartic mayhem. Or I could just go to bed....

The New Zealand International Film Festival is now launched - the site is live with all the smorgasbord of treats available - check it out at www.nzff.co.nz and then drop us a note in the comments as to what we can expect to see you all at!